Missile launcher scare in Denmark

Denmark’s military authorities warned ships to avoid part of the Great Belt strait on April 4 following a missile launcher malfunction during a naval exercise.

One of the world’s busiest sea lanes, which is also the principal maritime access to the Baltic, was off-limits for six hours after National Maritime Authority (DMA) warned there was a risk of “falling missile fragments.”

The alert covered an area south-west of Korsor, approximately 4 kilometres south of the Great Belt bridge across the Strait, which was able to remain open to traffic.

The problem occurred during a mandatory test where the missile launcher was activated and could not be deactivated, a Defence ministry statement said at the time.

“Until the missile launcher is deactivated, there is a risk that the missile can fire and fly a few kilometres away,” the statement continued.

The missile launcher was aboard the Niels Juel frigate which has belonged to Nato’s Standing Naval Force since 2023.

The missile itself contained 150s kilo of explosives, the Defence ministry said, but emphasised that it was not armed and would not detonate if it crashed into the sea.

Specialists had carried out “a number of different tests” and established that the booster was not armed and there was longer a risk the missile could be launched, the ministry clarified afterwards.